Hair cell regeneration.
The mammalian inner ear largely lacks the capacity to regenerate hair cells, the sensory cells required for hearing and balance. Recent studies in both lower vertebrates and mammals have uncovered genes and pathways important in hair cell development and have suggested ways that the sensory epithelia could be manipulated to achieve hair cell regeneration. These approaches include the use of inner ear stem cells, transdifferentiation of nonsensory cells, and induction of a proliferative response in the cells that can become hair cells.
Edge
Albert Sb
AS
Department of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, United States. albert_edge@meei.harvard.edu
Chen
Zheng-Yi
ZY
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D054338:Cell Transdifferentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D012038:Regeneration / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology